Broken
by NarcissaVenus
Summary: What does it feel like to get your heart ripped out? Commodore Norrington knows. But it's always better when you have a good friend to talk with. Not slash


(There had been one mildly small-ish change to this and that is Gillette's name… it was formerly Peter, but I have since decided that that sound's strange and is now Andrew which I like far better for him.)

When he left, after having given the direction to give the pirate captain, Jack Sparrow a day's head start, Commodore James Norrington walked straight home as fast as he possibly could. He knew that he couldn't go to pieces in front of everyone, and he knew that going to pieces was exactly what he was going to do the second he got away from prying eyes and into his bedroom.

Norrington reached his front door and walked inside. His servants wondered what had happened to make their usually cheerful and friendly employer so upset. He marched straight to his room and locked the door. He knew that all of his servants were staring at him, but he couldn't care. Not when he had just had his heart broken.

He slumped down onto his bed and rested his face in his hands. He didn't know what he had done to deserve this, but it must have been something bad. No one should have to go through this, he though. Being hopelessly in love was hard enough by itself, but to have the object of your affection first give you hope by accepting your marriage proposal, only to smash your heart into a thousand pieces by admitting her mutual love for a blacksmith was unbearable.

The Commodore felt as though his heart had been ripped from his chest, pounded with a hammer against an anvil, lit on fire, then hastily put back into his chest, only for it to shatter into a million shards sending a dull pain all through his body and a sharp searing pain where his heart was. He had tried his hardest to keep his stony composure when it happened, but he knew that his façade would never stand up to the knowing eyes of Lieutenant Gillette, his second in command and the person who knew him the best.

Like all men in powerful political positions, Norrington was the subject of much gossip in Port Royal. Those who barely knew him, or didn't know him at all spread the bulk of the gossip; it was said by them that Commodore Norrington was barely human and had no feelings whatsoever. This couldn't have been further from the truth. All one had to do to know this, was look into the Commodore's sparkling green eyes and see every single emotion that was reflected every so strongly in them.

Norrington knew that he couldn't hide his feelings from Lt. Gillette, no matter how hard he tried, and was not at all shocked when the Lieutenant's presence was announced to him by one of his servants. He stood up, checked himself in the mirror, then sighed as he walked down the staircase and across the hall into the sitting room where he was told Gillette would be waiting for him. When he entered the room Gillette, who was standing with his back to the door and gazing out a window, turned around and greeted him.

"Hello James," he said.

"Lieutenant," Norrington said with a nod in his direction.

"Please James, this is a friendly visit, at least call me Andrew," the Lieutenant said with a grim smile.

"As you wish, Andrew. But what is your reason for coming, if I may ask?"

"I was rather worried about you when you left so suddenly and I wanted to know if you were ok."

"Ah, I see. Thank you for worrying, but I'm fine Andrew," the Commodore said, once again hiding behind his stony façade.

"I don't think you are, James," he said gently in a voice no louder than a whisper.

Norrington sighed and rubbed his forehead, before he finally answered, "No, you're right, I'm not fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly.

The Commodore sighed before replying, "Sure."

"So…" Gillette began.

"Do you know what it's like? To be promised something that you so desperately want, and then to just have it taken away from you and given to someone else?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"No," Gillette whispered.

"Good. No one should have to feel like this… ever. When it happened, I felt as though my heart was ripped out of my chest and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think, well at least not about anything but the pain. Then worse then that, I had to pretend I was fine, and just give her away. I'm sure I looked fine on the surface, but inside I was dying."

"I know how much you loved her James," Gillette said softly.

"Yes, well. I haven't even thought about how everyone else is going to laugh at me. The Commodore, left by his fiancé for a blacksmith's apprentice; it's humiliating."

"The only person they will think less of is her, James. The women will be overjoyed that you're available."

"I know. But I don't want them to think less of her. I love her."

"I know you do. You should maybe take a few days off from work."

"No, I can't. The men will think I'm weak."

"No they won't James. They know how you feel."

"I suppose."

"I have to go now, but if you want to talk, you know where I'll be."

"Yes. Goodbye Andrew," the Commodore said.

"Goodbye James," said Lieutenant Gillette as he stood up and walked out of the sitting room and back to the Naval Base, leaving Norrington alone with his thoughts.

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Obviously I don't own anything, but if you have any corrections or comments please review and tell me if you liked it or not.


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